EASL International Liver Foundation Launch the first Center of
Excellence in Viral Hepatitis Elimination in Georgia
Vienna, Austria, 13 April 2019 — The EASL International Liver Foundation (EILF), today announced
the launch of the first ever Centre of Excellence in Viral Hepatitis Elimination to showcase leading
efforts to eliminate viral hepatitis and to fuel other countries to kick-start or expand and enhance their
programs. The initiative was developed in collaboration with the US Centers for Disease Prevention
and Control.
The Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social
Affairs of Georgia, is the first to be awarded EILF Centre of Excellence in Viral Hepatitis Elimination
status. Georgia embarked on the world’s first national viral hepatitis elimination program in 2015; at
the time, over 7% of adults had evidence of HCV infection, and over 5% were living with HCV, about
150,000 persons. Through a partnership with Gilead Sciences, treatment was made available for
every Georgian with hepatitis C. To date through the national program, more than 1.4 million adults
have been screened for the virus and more than 55,000 have been treated or are in treatment.
Minister of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social
Affairs of Georgia, Dr. David Sergeenko stated “It is a great pleasure and honor for us to be granted
the status of the first EILF Centre of Excellence in Viral Hepatitis Elimination. Our unprecedented HCV
Elimination Program in Georgia is a direct result of a successful public-private partnership, which
originated from our close cooperation with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and
the pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences Inc. Through universal access to HCV diagnostics and
treatment, HCV burden in Georgia is being gradually eliminated. Beyond its immediate public health
impact at national level, the Program could serve as a model for other countries by generating valuable
data and sharing best practices to support implementation of elimination programs in different parts
of the world.”
The EILF Centres of Excellence in Viral Hepatitis Elimination are intended to be distinguished providers
of thought leadership, and act as knowledge hubs, fostering exchanges of research, training, good
practices and lessons learnt. “Despite 194 countries pledging to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public
health threat by 2030 at the World Health Assembly in 2016, only 12 are currently on track. Our
ultimate goal is to catalyze efforts to eliminate viral hepatitis globally, the EILF Centres of Excellence
will serve as a resource and encourage knowledge sharing from one country to another to fast-track
elimination” said EILF Chairman Prof. Massimo Colombo.
Read the full release here